Racks



E. A. BAYERS April 9, 1963 RACKS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 31. 1960 &

April 9, 1963 E. A. BAYERS 3,084,803

RACKS Filed Aug. 31. 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 J. y Y

April 9, 1963 E. A. BAYERS 3,084,803

RACKS Filed Aug. 51. 1960 s Sheets-Sheet s United States Patent Ofiice 3,fi84,8fl3 Patented Apr. 9, 1963 RACKS Edward Abraham Bayers, Charlotte, N.C., assignor t Celanese Corporation of America, New York, N.Y., a

corporation of Delaware Filed Aug. 31, 1960, Ser. No. 53,236 17 Claims. (Cl. 21113) This invention relates to beam racks, and in particular to racks employed in shipping and storing large spools or beams of textile or filamentary materials.

Beams as used for shipping yarns or other filamentary materials generally comprise a cylindrical barrel and two disc-like end flanges. Especially for the purpose of shipping such beams, whether wound with yarn or empty, a rack or supporting frame is employed to minimize the possibility of damage to the beam flanges. In heretofore known racks of this type, means are, therefore, provided for immobilizing the beams so as to prevent rolling and radial movements thereof in the racks. The known beam locking or clamping means are, however, generally complex in construction and thus quite expensive to install as well as diflicult and time consuming to operate and maintain, and usually no special provision is made to effect a positive fixing of the beams against axial or endwise shifting in the racks.

Inasmuch as the known beam racks must be sufficiently rigid and strong not only to support beams weighing, when filled, as much as 1,000 pounds or more but also to withstand the considerable buffeting and shocks to which they are normally subject When being transported and loaded or unloaded, they are usually made of relatively heavy structural members. The weight of the racks is, of course, considered in computing the final freight cost for the shipment and substantially increases the cost per unit weight of yarn being shipped.

It is an important object of the present invention, therefore, to provide novel and improved beam shipping and storing racks which are free of the disadvantages attendant heretofore known racks.

A particular object of the present invention is the provision of such racks which are extremely lightweight and yet sturdy.

It is another object of the present invention to provide beam racks of the aforesaid type with novel and highly efficient means for locking the beams carried thereby in position against axial, radial and rolling movements.

A related object of the present invention is the provision of such beam locking or clamping means which are constructed to compensate for diameter, thickness and shape variations between different flanges of the same or different beams.

Still another object of the present invention is the provision of such beam locking means which form permanent parts of the respective racks and are both inexpensive to construct and install and extremely easy to manipulate.

More particularly, the present invention contemplates the provision of a beam rack the various structural members of which are all tubular and preferably are made of steel or a similar high strength, relatively lightweight metal or metal alloys. The rack thus weighs as much as eighty pounds less than conventional racks without any loss in strength or rigidity. The framework of the rack is rectangular in plan and is constructed of four corner posts interconnected by longitudinal and transverse pairs of struts rigidly affixed, preferably by welding, to the respective corner posts. Transversely extending supporting means for the beam are rigidly affixed to the longitudinal struts adjacent the opposite ends of the latter. Chocks defining stationary abutments for the beam flanges at the rear of the rack are welded to the rear corner posts, while the flange-clamping means include flange edge-engaging members which are swingably and non-removably mounted on the two front corner posts of the rack so that they may be swung out of the way when a beam is loaded onto or unloaded from the rack, and flange face-engaging members universally mounted on the transverse struts to apply perpendicular clamping forces to the beam flanges. In addition, means are provided on the corner posts to permit and facilitate stacking of a plurality of such racks one atop the other.

The foregoing and other objects, characteristics and advantages of the present invention will be more fully understood from the following detailed description thereof when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of the beam rack according to the present invention with an empty beam positioned thereon;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the rack as seen from the right of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line 33 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view, on an enlarged scale, taken along the line 4i in FIG. 1;

- FIG. 5 is a fragmentary top plan view, taken along the line 5-5 in FIG. 2, of one of the beam flange supporting members;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along the line 6-6 in FIG. 2;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary perspective view of one of the front corner posts of the rack and shows the respective flange-clamping means carried thereby in its operative position;

FIG. 8 is an elevational view of the structure shown in FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is another elevational view of the structure shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the view being taken at right angles to the plane of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a sectional view taken along the line Iii-40 in FIG. 7; and

FIG. 11 is a side elevational view of a pair of racks according to the present invention in stacked relation with one another.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings and especially to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 thereof, it will be seen that the present invention provides a beam rack 13 which is constituted by four corner posts 1414 and 1515, two longitudinal struts 16 welded to and interconnecting the pairs of corner posts 14-14 and 1515, respectively, two transverse struts 17 welded to and interconnecting the pairs of corner posts 1415, and two transversely extending supporting members 18 welded to and extending between the longitudinal struts 16 adjacent the opposite ends of the latter. The specific structural characteristics of the various corner posts, the struts and the supporting members, all of which are metallic and preferably made of steel, will be more fully explained as the description proceeds.

As clearly shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, each of the corner posts 14 and 15 is hollow and tubular, being preferably substantially rectangular or square in cross-section for extra strength and rigidity, although it will be understood that the posts may be circular in cross-section. Similarly, the longitudinal struts 16 (see FIG. 2'), the transverse struts 17 (see FIG. 6), and the supporting members 18 (see FIGS. 1 and 5) are tubular with preferably square or rectangular cross-sections.

The top ends of the four corner posts are covered, respectively, by small plates 19 which are welded to the posts and carry at their upper surfaces pins or caps 20 of substantially circular cross-section the function of which will be more fully described hereinafter. Welded to the bottom ends of the corner posts 14 and 15, respec- -2 and 3.

tively, are rectangular plates 21 which are provided in the parts thereof underlying the respective posts with circular holes or openings 22. At and rigidly connected to the part of each of the plates 21 free of the respective corner post there is provided an upstanding web or plate 23 one side edge of which is welded to the associated corner post and the upper edge of which is welded to the underside of the associated one of the longitudinal struts 16. In a similar manner, four substantially triangular webs or plates 24 are welded to the upper sides of the transverse struts 17 and the associated corner posts 14 and 15, and four substantially triangular webs or plates 25 are welded to the inwardly facing sides of the longitudinal struts 16 and supporting members 18. The plates 23, 24 and 25 thus serve to reinforce the framework of the rack 13 and render the same sufficient-1y rigid and sturdy to withstand the rigors of prolonged use and rough handling.

The beam B which is to be received in the rack 13 comprises, in a manner well known to the art, a subs-tantially cylindrical barrel 26 and a pair of annular disc-like end flanges 27 which are constructed so as to be able to resist deformation under the lateral pressures exerted thereon by the yarn (not shown) wound onto the barrel. As usual, the flanges 2-7 are provided with central openings 28 by means of which the beam may be mounted for rotation during winding of the yarn thereonto or unwinding of the yarn therefrom.

Referring now to FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 5, it will be seen that a rectangular central portion of the top wall 18a of each of the tubular supporting members 18 is cut away, and that the two side walls 181) of each of the supporting members 18 are arcuately cut away over a region coextensive in length with the associated cut-out in the top wall. Positioned in and at the opposite ends of each of the so open-topped portions 29 of the two supporting members 18 are, respectively, two parallel vertical reinforcing plates 30 welded in place interconnected by a third vertical plate 31 extending transversely thereto. The top edge of each plate 31, which is located essentially in the center plane of the respective supporting member 18, is arcuately cut away in the same manner as the side walls 18b of the said respective supporting member. An elongated plate '32 is located on and welded to the top wall 18a of each supporting member, extending thereover from the front of the rack 13 about three-fourths of the distance to the rear thereof to a point beyond the rear end of the space or recess 29, as clearly shown in FIGS. An intermediate portion of each plate '32 is arcuately bent or depressed, as shown in 32a, to conform to the arcuate contours of the associated supporting member side walls 18b and reinforcing plate 31. The plates 32 are also preferably made of hardened steel and define the actual supporting tracks or surfaces for the beam flanges 27.

From the foregoing it will be understood, particular reference being had to FIG. 2, that when it is desired to introduce a beam B into the rack 13, the beam may be simply rolled from a suitable loading platform (not shown) directly into the rack from the front thereof, i.e., between the front corner posts 14 and toward the rear corner posts 15 as indicated by the arrow A, until the beam flanges enter and come to rest in the arcuate depressions 32a of the supporting plates or tracks 32 overlying the recesses 29 of the supporting members 18. Other loading techniques may, of course, be used, such as lowering the beam into the rack from above with the aid of a winch and cables. The reinforcing plates 31 are so positioned that the supporting plates 32 and with them the beam flange edges rest thereon (see FIG. 1).

In order to prevent the beam from rolling out of the rack rearwardly of the latter, as well as to constitute back-up means or abutments against which the beam flanges may be clamped, by devices and in a manner still to be described, two chocks or brackets 33 are welded to the rear corner posts 15, these chocks having circularly curved front portions 33a adapted to be engaged by the peripheral edges of the beam flanges.

Turning now to FIGS. 7 to 10, it will be seen that to each of the front corner posts 14 is affixed at the rearwardly facing side thereof an Lashaped bracket 34 having a horizontal leg 34:: in which is provided a hole (not shown). Welded to the top of each bracket leg 34a concentrically with the said hole thereof is a nut 35 having an internally threaded bore (not shown) through which extends a threaded bolt or screw 36, the head of the bolt being located above the nut, and the tip of the bolt being located below the bracket leg 34 a. At a predetermined distance below each bracket 34, a plate 37 is welded to the post 14, as shown at 37a. A first pin 38 is welded to each plate 37 and extends therefrom toward the rear of the rack, and a second pin 39 is welded to each post 14 below the associated pin 38. The vertical planes in which the axes of the bolt 36 and the pin 38 are located, are slightly offset relative to one another (see FIG. 8) for a purpose to be more fully explained presently.

Between the bracket 34 and the pin 39 on each of the front corner posts 14 is arranged a flange edge-clamping member 40 of the beam-locking means according to the present invention. As best shown in FIG. 7, each member 44) comprises a pair of angle brackets 41 and 42. Each bracket 4-1 has two substantially perpendicular platelike legs 4 1a and 41b and a transverse contact or bearing plate did (see FIGS. 8 and 9') is welded to the inner faces of the bracket legs 41a and 41b and to the bottom face of the transverse plate 410 of each bracket 41. The leg 41a of each bracket 41 is provided adjacent its lowermost end with a short longitudinally extending slot 43 in which the associated pin 38 is slidably received. The pins 38 thus constitute pivot mountings for the brackets 41 permitting angular or swinging movement thereof, and at the same time the pin and slot arrangements permit a limited linear movement of the brackets in the vertical direction along the respective posts 14. Removal of the brackets 41 from the pins 38 is prevented by means of a pair of washers or like annular elements 44 which are welded to the pins, respectively, adjacent the outermost ends thereof.

The bracket 42 of each flange edge-clamping member 40 comprises a pair of substantially perpendicular legs 42a and 42b, the former of which is welded to the leg 41b of the associated bracket 41 and extends therefrom toward the rear of the rack 13. The leg 42b of each bracket 42 is circularly arched and constitutes the actual flange edge-engaging element or shoe of the respective clamping member 49. As clearly shown in FIGS. 1, 7 and 8, the members 4% are located in their operative positions (illustrated in solid lines in FIG. 8) when the brackets 41 thereof are vertically disposed along the posts 14, being prevented from moving into the position shown in broken lines by the lateral contact between the tips of the associated bolts 36 and a pair of small abutment bars 45' welded to the tops of the transverse plates 410 of the brackets 41 and extending substantially perpendicular to the plane of the bracket legs 41a. The members 40 may be moved, as indicated by the arrow C, to the inoperative position (illustrated in broken lines in FIG. 8) in which the free longitudinal edges of the bracket legs 41w rest against the pins 39 which, thus, define a pair of stops for the angular movement of the brackets 41. In their operative positions, the bracket legs 4219, the curved portions 33a of the respective chocks 33- and the arcuate depressions 32a of tracks 32 contact the beam flanges at locations approximately equidistant from one another. Thus, the two members it), the operation of which will be more fully described hereinafter, constitute the means for pressing the beam flanges 27 against the chocks 33 and depressions 32a, thereby locking the beam B against radial (jumping) and rolling movements within the confines of the rack 13. This multi-point contact ensures motionf-ree seating of the beam.

Further provided by the present invention are means for locking the beam B in place against axial or endwise movement within the rack. Referring in particular to FIGS. 1 to 3 and 6, it can be seen that each of the transverse struts 17 has welded to its upper surface the horizontal legs 46a of a pair of spaced, parallel, upstanding lugs or brackets 46 between the uppermost ends of which extends a cross member 47. Each cross member 47 is provided with a hole 48 and has welded to that side face thereof directed outwardly of the rack 13 a nut 49 which has an intern-ally threaded bore (not shown) disposed in axial alignment with the associated hole 48. An externally threaded bolt or screw 50 extends through each nut 49 and cross member 47, with the heads 50a of these bolts being located on the same sides of the respective cross members as the respective nuts 49. Affixed to the other end of each bolt 50, as by welding, is a ball member 51 on which is universally mounted by means of a socket 52 a swivel pad 53 having a flat face 53a adapted for engagement with the outer face of a beam flange 27.

As will be readily understood, when a beam is located in the rack 13, rotation of the bolts 50 by means of a wrench or like tool (not shown) applied to the respective bolt heads 50a will move the bolts toward one another so as to press the pads 53 against the respective outer faces of the beam flanges 27. The universal mounting of the pads or face-engaging elements 53 thus ensures that the faces 53a of the same will lie flush against the beam flange faces at all times to compensate for variations in the shapes of the latter, and the pads themselves prevent any possible bruising or other distortion of the flanges by the bolts 50 as the latter are screwed in.

In use, when an empty rack is to be loaded with a beam B, whether the beam is empty or wound full of yarn, the bolts 36 are rotated so as to move upwardly until the tips thereof are clear of the bars 45, at which time the members 40 are angularly moved in the direction of the arrow C to their inoperative positions as shown in FIG. 8. The flange edge-engaging elements 42b of the members 40 thus project outwardly from the rack, leaving the front gap between the corner posts 14 unobstructed. The beam B is now introduced into the rack in any suitable manner until the peripheral edges of the flanges 27 rest in the depressions 32a of the supporting tracks 32 on the transversely extending supporting members 18 and against the curved portions 33a of the chocks 33. The members 40 are thereafter moved angularly from their inoperative positions in a direction opposite to the arrow C until the bars 45 are past the vertical center lines of the respective bolts 36. The latter are then lowered and lateral contact established bet-ween them and the bars 45, to indicate the proper positioning of the bracket legs 42b, at which time the bolts 36 are screwed down tightly against the transverse plates 410 of the respective brackets 41. This presses the curved elements 42b against the peripheral edges of the flanges 27, held by the checks 33, and effects a secure clamping of the beam against both radial and rolling movements within the rack when the latter is displaced and possibly canted or jolted during transportation of the beam from one place to another.

It will be noted that the offsetting of the bolts 36 from the respective pivot pins 33 plus the provision of bars 45 eliminate the possibility of any relaxation of the flange edge-clamping pressure as long as the bolts 36 engage the plates 410, in view of the fact that the points of contact between the bolt tips and the plates 410 are located, respectively, on the same sides of the pivot axes of the members 40 as the edge-engaging elements 42b. Moreover, the provision of the slots 43 in the bracket legs 41a not only permits the thrust of the bolts 36 to be transmitted to the flange edges, but it also enables small variations in the beam flange diameters to be compensated for without any loss of clamping effectiveness.

Once the beam has been so immobilized, the bolts 50 are advanced toward the beam flanges 27 until the pads 5-3 are pressed tightly against the respective flange faces. Any possibility of axial or endwise movement of the beam B is now completely eliminated. All danger of damage to the beam flanges and to the filamentary material wound on the beam which might be caused by undesired beam movements during transport is, consequently, avoided by the present invention.

It will be noted that the illustrated means for attaching the beam locking devices to the rack prevent these devices from being removed from the rack, thereby preventing loss.

Where the shipment of more than one rack is desired or necessary, the present invention also makes it possible to ship the racks in a minimum of space. This is accomplished by the provision of the pins or stacking caps 20 atop the rack corner posts 14 and 15 and of the holes or openings 22 in the bottom plates '21 affixed to the said corner posts at the bases thereof. As clearly shown in FIG. 11, this arrangement permits a second rack 13 to be stacked on top of the rack 13, etc.

It is to be understood that th foregoing detailed description is given merely by way of illustration and that many variations may be made therein without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having described my invention what I desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a rack for a flanged yarn beam including an upright post and a support structure along which the beam flanges may be rolled when positioning the beam and means against which said flanges rest when properly positioned, shoe means supported directly on said upright post for pivotal and sliding displacement between a first position in which said shoe means bears against at least one flange of said beam and a second position in which said shoe means is out of the path of movement of the flanges of said beam, the support between said upright post and shoe means comprises bolt and enlarged slot means, said shoe means being displaceable from said second to said first position even when a beam is on said rack, means for maintaining said shoe means in said second position and screw means pressing vertically downward on said shoe means to cause the latter to slide downward and be placed against said flange when said shoe means is in said first position, whereby when loading a beam on said rack said shoe means is initially maintained in said second position so as not to interfere with movement of said beam and is subsequently displaced to said first position and pressed against said flange to prevent rolling of said beam.

2. A rack according to claim 1, wherein said shoe means includes a portion which in operative position is out of the path of movement of said flanges, said pressing means also being out of said path of movement and operating upon said portion of said shoe means.

3. A rack according to claim 2, wherein said shoe means portion is connected to said upright post and said pressing means operates upon said portion to prevent both vertical and pivotal displacement.

4. A rack according to claim 1, including at least one universally mounted pad and means for displacing said pad to abut against a flange to prevent displacement of said beam in axial direction, the universal mounting of said pad assuring firm seating against said flange.

5. A rack according to claim 4, wherein two spaced pads and displacing means are provided, disposed to act upon both flanges of the beam.

6. A lightweight rack for a flanged yarn beam, comprising two front and two rear corner posts, lonigtudinal strut means interconnecting said front corner posts with one another and said rear corner posts with one another, transverse strut means interconnecting each of said front corner posts with a corresponding one of said rear corner posts, flange-supporting means affixed to said Longitudinal strut means, chock means affixed to said rear corner posts for engagement by the peripheral edges of the beam flanges, flange edge-clamping means swingably mounted on at least one of said front corner posts and having flange edge-engaging means extending partly across the gap between said front corner posts in a first position of said edge-clamping means and outwardly of the rack between the associated front and rear corner posts in a second position of said edge-clamping means, means mounted on at least said one front corner post and engageable with said edge-clamping means against the adjacent beam flange edge to lock said flange against said chock means so as to prevent radial and rolling movements of the beam within the rack, flange face-engaging means located between said front and rear corner posts, and means mounted on said transverse strut means and universally connected with said face-engaging means for forcing the same against the adjacent beam flange face to prevent axial shifting of the beam within the rack.

7. A lightweight rack for a flanged yarn beam comprising two front and two rear corner posts, a pair of longitudinal struts one interconnecting said front corner posts and the other said rear corner posts, a pair of transverse struts each, interconnecting a respective one of said front corner posts, a pair of flange-supporting members affixed to and extending between said longitudinal struts adjacent the opposite ends of the latter, a pair of forwardly facing chocks carried by said rear corner posts for engagement by the peripheral edges of the beam flanges, a pair of flange edge-clamping members swingably mounted on said front corner posts, respectively, and having rearwardly facing flange edge-engaging elements extending partly across the gap between said front corner posts in a first position of said edge-clamping members and outwardly of the rack between the associated front and rear corner posts in a second position of said edge-clamping members, means mounted on said front corner posts and engageable with said edge-clamping members in said first position thereof for forcing said edge-engaging elements against said flange edges to thereby lock said flanges against said chocks and prevent radial and rolling movements of the beam within the rack, a pair of flange faceengaging elements located between the respective pairs of front and rear corner posts, and means mounted on said transverse struts and universally connected with said faceengaging elements for forcing the same against the outer faces of said flanges to thereby lock the latter between said face-engaging elements and prevent axial shifting of the beam within the rack.

8. A rack according to claim 7, wherein all of said corner posts, said struts and said supporting members are made of tubular metal.

*9. A rack according to claim 7, further comprising rod-shaped stacking caps affixed to said corner posts, respectively, at the top ends of the latter and extending coaxially upwardly therefrom, said corner posts being open at their bottom ends, said caps being adapted to be received in the open bottom ends of the tubular corner posts of another identically constructed rack, whereby the racks may be stacked one atop the other.

10. A lightweight rack for a flanged yarn beam, comprising two front and two rear corner posts, a pair of longitudinal struts one interconnecting said front corner posts and the other said rear corner posts, a pair of transverse struts interconnecting each of said front corner posts with a corresponding one of said rear corner posts, a pair of flange-supporting members affixed to and extending between said longitudinal struts adjacent the opposite ends of the latter, said transverse struts being located at an elevation above the plane of said longitudinal struts and said supporting members, a pair of forwardly facing circularly curved chocks carried by said rear corner posts and positioned higher than the beam axis when the beam is on said supporting members for engagement by the peripheral edges of the beam flanges, a pair of flange edge-clamping members swingably mounted on said front corner posts, respectively, and having rearwardly facing, circularly curved flange edge-engaging elements extending, in a first position of said edge-clamping members, partly across the gap between said front corner posts, screw bolt means mounted on said front corner posts and engageable with said edge-clamping members in said first position thereof for forcing said edge-engaging elements against said flange edges to thereby lock said flanges against said checks and prevent radial and rolling movements of the beam within the rack, a pair of flange faceengaging elements located between the respective pairs of front and rear corner posts, and additional screw bolt means. mounted on said transverse struts and universally connected with said face-engaging elements for forcing the same against the outer faces of said flanges to thereby lock the beam between said face-engaging elements and prevent axial shifting of the beam within the rack.

11. A rack according to claim 10, each of said supporting members being provided with a substantially centrally located, circularly arcuate depression in the top surface thereof, the radii of curvature of the associated chock, edge-engaging element and depression being equal and centered at the location of the beam axis.

127 A rack according to claim 10, each of said edgeclamping members comprising a first angle bracket provided in one leg thereof with a slot, and a second angle bracket one leg of which is connected to the other leg of said first bracket and extends therefrom rearwardly of the rack, the other leg of said secc nd bracket constituting said edge-engaging element of the respective edgeclamping member, said front corner posts being provided with a pair of rearwardly extending pins, respectively, each of which is slidably received in said slot of said one leg of the associated first bracket, thereby permitting a limited linear movement of said edge-clamping members in addition to the swinging movement thereof.

13. A rack according to claim 12, each of said first brackets further comprising a transverse plate connected to the two bracket legs and extending across the angular space defined between said two legs, said screw bolt means comprising a pair of screw bolts mounted, respectively, on said front corner posts adjacent the top ends of the latter with their tips so located as to engage said transverse plates of said first brackets in said first position of said edge-clamping members.

14. A rack according to claim 13, the axes of said pins being slightly offset outwardly of the rack relative to the points of contact between said screw bolts and said transverse plates.

-15. A rack according to claim 14, further comprising a pair of bars afiixed, respectively, to the top surfaces of said transverse plates of said first brackets and extending substantially rearwardly of the rack, lateral contact between said screw bolts and the respective bars defining said first position of said edge-clamping members.

16. A rack according to claim 15, further comprising a pair of stops aflixed to said front corner posts, respectively, somewhat below said pins and engageable by said first brackets upon swinging movement of said edgeclamping members out of said first position thereof, said stops defining a second position of said edge-clamping members.

17. A rack according to claim 16, further comprising rod-shaped stacking caps alfixed to said corner posts, respectively, at the top ends of the latter and extending coaxially upwardly therefrom, said corner posts being open at their bottom ends, said caps being adapted to be received in the open bottom ends of the tubular corner posts of another identically constructed rack, whereby the racks may be stacked one atop the other.

(References on following page) 9 10 References Cited in the file of this patent 2,593,472 McGinn Apr. 22, 1952 2,762,514 McGinn Sept. 11, 1956 UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,875,902 Ayers Mar. 3, 1959 1,794,321 Rebuck 24, 1931 2,940,361 Francisco June 14, 1960 1,893,227 h n-V zi n n. 3. 3 5 2,962,167 Storey N v, 29, 19 0 2,432,974 Stevens Dec. 16, 1947 

6. A LIGHTWEIGHT RACK FOR A FLANGED YARN BEAM, COMPRISING TWO FRONT AND TWO REAR CORNER POSTS, LONGITUDINAL STRUT MEANS INTERCONNECTING SAID FRONT CORNER POSTS WITH ONE ANOTHER AND SAID REAR CORNER POSTS WITH ONE ANOTHER, TRANSVERSE STRUT MEANS INTERCONNECTING EACH OF SAID FRONT CORNER POSTS WITH A CORRESPONDING ONE OF SAID REAR CORNER POSTS, FLANGE-SUPPORTING MEANS AFFIXED TO SAID LONGITUDINAL STRUT MEANS, CHOCK MEANS AFFIXED TO SAID REAR CORNER POSTS FOR ENGAGEMENT BY THE PERIPHERAL EDGES OF THE BEAM FLANGES, FLANGE EDGE-CLAMPING MEANS SWINGABLY MOUNTED ON AT LEAST ONE OF SAID FRONT CORNER POSTS AND HAVING FLANGE EDGE-ENGAGING MEANS EXTENDING PARTLY ACROSS THE GAP BETWEEN SAID FRONT CORNER POSTS IN A FIRST POSITION OF SAID EDGE-CLAMPING MEANS AND OUTWARDLY OF THE RACK BETWEEN THE ASSOCIATED FRONT AND REAR CORNER POSTS IN A SECOND POSITION OF SAID EDGE-CLAMPING MEANS, MEANS MOUNTED ON AT LEAST SAID ONE FRONT CORNER POST AND ENGAGEABLE WITH SAID EDGE-CLAMPING MEANS AGAINST THE ADJACENT BEAM FLANGE EDGE TO LOCK SAID FLANGE AGAINST SAID CHOCK MEANS SO AS TO PREVENT RADIAL AND ROLLING MOVEMENTS OF THE BEAM WITHIN THE RACK, FLANGE FACE-ENGAGING MEANS LOCATED BETWEEN SAID FRONT AND REAR CORNER POSTS, AND MEANS MOUNTED ON SAID TRANSVERSE STRUT MEANS AND UNIVERSALLY CONNECTED WITH SAID FACE-ENGAGING MEANS FOR FORCING THE SAME AGAINST THE ADJACENT BEAM FLANGE FACE TO PREVENT AXIAL SHIFTING OF THE BEAM WITHIN THE RACK. 